Friday, 17 February 2017

UPDATE 2

Dear readers,

Thanks again for the encouraging words in the comments.

Yesterday I had to go to hospital again. This time for a bronchoscopy. I didn't like that at all. It wasn't really painfull but because I have a shortness of breath, it was a real challenge. Anyway, the next meeting will be next week on Thursday for another consult with my lung doctor. So, all I can do now is wait.

Monday, 13 February 2017

First of all thanks for the nice and encouraging words in the comments.

This morning I had to go back to hospital for a CT scan. The provisional results were sent to my lung doctor. He told me it doesn't look good. There is indeed a spot on my right lung but I also have some metastases on he rest of my lungs.

I have to go back to hospital again on Thursday for a bronchoscopy where they put a flexible optical fiber instrument into my mouth or nose to examine my airways for abnormalities. It's something I'm not particularly looking forward to.

That's it for the moment. Next week, February 23, there's another visit planned to my lung doctor and by then we should know how things are.

Friday, 10 February 2017

For the second time in a short period, there will be no updates on The Presurfer. I had a short vacation a couple of weeks ago, this time is more serious. I've not been feeling well lateley. My breathing wasn't good enough and my staying power reduced. I also lost some weight.

So, yesterday I decided to call the family doctor. She immediately sent me to hospital for a more serious examination. There, a lung specialist took some photos and saw a small spot on my right lung.

This morning, I've been back to hospital for a blood test. I have to be back there again on Monday morning for a CT scan. After that we problaby will know a little bit more. Anyway, I need a break until I know what is wrong with me. In the meantime, let us hope for the best and thank you for your patience.

Thursday, 9 February 2017

Have you ever seen something that makes your skin tingle and for some unknown reason provides you with a sense of unbridled peace and happiness? Gears working in perfect synchronization, a cake frosted with absolute precision, marbles rolling so smoothly it hurts. Something that is just...satisfying?

Most of us have been caught out by the weather, whether we got soaked to the skin in a storm or burned red by the sun. But there are places in the world where Mother Nature really goes in for the kill.

From deadly storms to volcanic eruptions, there are threats everywhere. Of all Earth's danger zones, which is the most deadly?

In 2012, designer John Collins constructed a paper airplane that flew an astonishing 226 feet, establishing a distance record that still stands. Collins has designed 75 different paper airplanes, and he's still coming up with new ideas. His ultimate goal is to create a novel design that shatters his current record for distance.

On 26 April 1937, Nazi German and Italian bombers attacked the Basque city of Guernica. Over the course of three hours, they destroyed three-quarters of the ancient town, killing and wounding hundreds.

The raid was 'unparalleled in military history,' according to reports at the time- and it inspired one of the most famous anti-war paintings in history.

Most everyday objects - like the key, or the book, or the phone - evolve over time in incremental ways, and the 20th century in particular revolutionized, or streamlined the vast majority of the things you hold in your hand over the course of an average day. But the paper clip - invented in 1899 hasn't been improved upon since.

The Neptune Memorial Reef is an eternal resting place for ocean lovers that's entirely underwater. Cremated remains are mixed with cement and formed into placements that are added to the underwater city. The Reef is open to the public so families can dive down to visit their loved ones on the sea bottom.

M2OnHold has created an infographic that explores the stories behind some of the most famous brand slogans. Find out how popular slogans like Nike's 'Just Do It,' or Apple's 'Think Different' were conceived.

Tuesday, 7 February 2017

Scott Bradlee and his Postmodern Jukebox take us through the history of tap dancing in the past 115 years, with dancer and choreographer Sarah Reich shuffling and tapping her way through various songs, from 1899's Maple Leaf Rag to 2014's Uptown Funk.

On the face of things, a hot waffle iron wouldn't seem to have all that much in common with a block of ice. But the two objects share the same capacity to inflict pain. Extreme heat and extreme cold are both able to deliver a nasty blow to human skin, and it turns out that the brain monitors these thermal extremes in similar ways.

Banana republic is a political science term used originally for politically unstable countries in Latin America whose economies are largely dependent on exporting a limited-resource product, e.g. bananas.

It typically has stratified social classes, including a large, impoverished working class and a ruling plutocracy of business, political, and military elites.
This politico-economic oligarchy controls the primary-sector productions to exploit the country's economy.

Infographic by UK Feather Flags (www.uk-featherflags.co.uk/). A collection of some of the most unusual and unique flags that we have been able to find around the internet. Check out high quality, high resolution pictures of some of the most bizarre flags that have been made along with information about each one for you to enjoy.

In the 19th century, the railroad was the Internet of its day, connecting people with one another and moving merchandise and raw materials across great distances. Naturally, children were eager to play with pint-size versions of this new technology, and 19th-century toymakers obliged, cranking out model trains in wood, cast iron, and tin.

But they are tough to sell the idea of model trains to children today. They find trains are noisy, antiquated, and irredeemably boring. The average age of a model railroader is 40-plus.

Since 2007 a group of European bison's (Wisent) has been brought back into a nature area in the dunes of the Nehtherlands. They live a wild but secluded nature area. Outside of the breeding season you can wander around to find them grazing.

In Cambodia's capital, motorbike taxis are everywhere - but it's extremely rare to see women drivers transporting tourists. Those who do are judged harshly. Meet the young entrepreneur trying to change that.

There's plenty to catch your eye on Oxford Street; even more if you raise your gaze above shop level. If you glance up at the top of 105 to 109 Oxford Street, you'll see a strange quartet of creatures decorating the roof. Four beavers, the top one holding a scroll, have been peering down on Oxford Street shoppers for 130 years. Why is that?

Sunday, 5 February 2017

Near the city of Vladivostok, Russia, lies a stunning bay surrounded by impressive cliffs. Not very long ago, the beach here was used as dumping ground of unwanted glass by a local porcelain factory, or so the story goes. According to another version, the waste glass products were washed away by the river and then swept into the sea.

Now years later, the seaside on Ussuri Bay as taken on an unusual appearance. Millions of broken bits of glass, rounded smooth by the relentless pounding of the ocean waves cover every bit of the beach. On a sunny day, they sparkle like lighted candles.

Cuba feels more in flux now than it has in decades. Fidel Castro's death, the repeal of the 'wet foot, dry foot' policy and eased restrictions on capitalism mean rapid changes for a country distinctly shaped by a Cold War that ended decades ago.

At the same time airplanes full of tourists are landing in Cuba on direct flights from the U.S. for the first time in decades, opening up a floodgate of incoming dollars. So where does that leave Cuba's eclectic assortment of cars?

How you distribute tow weight is paramount to safely arriving at your destination. When loading a trailer, make sure that 60% of your weight is loaded to the front of the trailer and 40% is loaded to the back for the safest towing experience.

Kamikaze suicide attacks were one of the most frightful tactics of the Pacific theater during World War II. Named after the divine wind of a hurricane, these these planes and pilots are often thought of as nothing more than fanatics, brainwashed into giving their lives, but the truth is more nuanced.

These pilots were as human as any and often battled between loyalty and their fear of death. The details of the Kamikaze attacks are a history lesson that we should not forget.

In order for humans to survive in the hostile environment of space, mankind has invented the ultimate personal space 'vehicle' - the spacesuit. Designed to keep a person alive in the event of a spacecraft failure or while working outside of the spacecraft, a spacesuit must provide enough protection to keep the wearer alive in extreme conditions.

Two types of suits have been developed: Launch and Entry suits, and Extravehicular Activity spacesuits. These spacesuits have evolved from the rudimentary suits used by Edward White on Gemini IV on June 3, 1965, to the more complex suits of today.

Saturday, 4 February 2017

HMA is a VPN that works on iPhone, Android, Mac, PC/Windows, and more. HMA helps millions of people all over the world to safely and securely enjoy the world-wide-web, preserving our fundamental right to choose how and when we share personal information.

Picture the scene: You're at a funeral, or are in the process of arranging one, when the person who's supposed to be in the coffin turns up to see what's going on. Stuff of imagination? More often than not, yes. But sometimes, it really does happen.

Scientists have found a genetically unique population of miniature sharks off the coast of Belize. The bonnetheads' DNA looked good - but it also looked sort of odd. The samples taken in Belize were startlingly different from the rest of the bunch.

Scientist Kevin Feldheim said he and his colleagues were quite surprised with their results. They thought they were doing a standard analysis of a shark population and suddenly they were looking at a whole new species.

This handy guide to kissing a girl offers some useful tips, such as 'do not tell her your intentions' and 'look dreamily into her eyes.' There was an expected response from her too, though the authors hedged their bets with 'probably,' in 'she will probably drop her eyes and blush when you say that.'